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The naked truth on nude beaches in Sardinia, Italy

Sardinia is a mecca for beach lovers, and with over 1849 kilometres of beautiful, pristine coastline, it’s no wonder naked vacationers return year after year. It’s easy to see why, with miles of glorious, sandy beaches and award-winning panoramas. It’s a place where endless turquoise waters meet rugged coastlines and where the world comes to play each summer.

Did you know?

It’s illegal to get naked on a Sardinian public beach.

That Sardinia hosts very few, secluded nude beaches (so few, in fact, I can’t find any resources on legal nude beaches in Sardinia) and if caught in the buff on a beach in Italy that the fine is hefty – very hefty!

Do you know the difference between a topless beach and a nude beach?

What is a topless beach?

A topless beach is a public beach where upper body clothing is optional for men and women. Most beaches in Italy are topless beaches.¹

A general rule of thumb is to look around and see what others are doing. If there are hundreds of people on the beach – dressed in their beach best, then you should stay dressed in your beach suit.

A little incident that happened…

I parked my pasty-white Canadian butt on the hot, white sand and noticed that every other woman was topless and thought – I’m in Italy, I’ll go topless too! And I did – for a short time. In the last four years, I have seen more women covering up.

Why?

I don’t have the answer to that, but maybe it has something to do with the predatory lifestyle of social media and technology.

There are just too many cameras.

My views have changed since my first outing and here’s why…

It was a dry-hot August afternoon and our favourite patch of sand was full of tourists. We found our usual spot across from a rock and front door to the sea and made ourselves a little beach home.

Thirty minutes later, three couples arrived and set up beach camp, five-feet in front of us. This rattled my cage as there was plenty of space within a 75-foot radius of us – why do they always sit so close? The three girls squealed and ran into the inviting blue water as their male counterparts set up beach-camp, and readied themselves to photograph the scenery.

My husband went walk-a-bout in the Sardinian bush while I tanned topless in the August heat-wave. I was lizard-like in my stance as I relaxed and listened to the three guys ramble on about how awesome everything is in Sardinia. They took out their cameras and snapped their girlfriends frolicking in the sea; they photographed each other in a series of unfortunate awkward stances and they slapped each other’s butts too many times to keep count. The boys then returned to their beach-camp to bake their white skin and snap more photos.

With their backs to me and the sun in our faces, I noticed one guy with the camera behind his back.

I thought – what the heck is he taking a photo of?

Then I realized he was taking a photo of me! We were only five-feet apart; it was obvious – too obvious. I quickly raised my middle finger, and with a slight eff of expression on my face, he snapped his photo.

I’m pretty sure he got a shock when he reviewed the beach photos and found one topless, Canadian lounge-lizard giving him the middle finger.

I felt violated by this person’s predatory act to snap my photo on the sly. He took the photo for egotistical purposes and it’s possible that this photo is or has made its way around the internet, and the thought makes me cringe – cringe because he took something of mine, without my consent.

I didn’t say anything to him and in hindsight wish I had.

Since then I have only gone topless in the company of my husband or in the off-season, as summer is busy with curious tourists who snap unwilling photos of nature at its best.

Is this why more women are covering up at the beach?

What is a nude beach?

A nude beach is a beach where people are legally at liberty to be nude. Generally, these beaches will be private and there will be signs stating that it’s a nude beach.

You’re wondering, aren’t you? Have I gone nude on an Italian beach? Yes – and it was awesome!

But …

In Sardinia, there are few legal nude beaches.

I’ve seen people in the buff on the public beaches of Sardinia; who, without a care in the world are at ease and confident in stature and pride.

Before you go on holiday don’t you think it’s best to find out if these beaches are legal to be naked on – and if not what (if any) are the fines? I know I check strange laws before departing on vacation and certainly adhere to them while on foreign soil – why don’t others? The thought of an Italian jail cell frightens me, heck, the thought of any jail cell, in any part of the world freaks me out!

Not a nudist beach

I don’t have a problem with naked people – but there are laws you should know before taking it all off in a foreign land.

Did you know?

In 2006 the Italian Supreme Court passed a law stating that certain beaches could be designated as a nude beach. These beaches would, in fact, have to post signs for the weary traveller – stating the beach as a nudist beach.

This past summer in Taormina, Sicily a man was fined €1200 for going nude on a public, overcrowded beach. There were other nudists on the same beach as this man but they ran away to hide the moment the police arrived. He was the only one who had the balls to sit on his patch of sand and make the police come to him!

In Tortoli, Sardinia this year – 2 British tourists were subject to a stern warning from police for being naked on the beach.

This is the naked truth on nude beaches in Sardinia, Italy. I hope you’ve enjoyed the show.

A few questions for you …

Do you know of any legal nude beaches in Sardinia?

What is your take on going topless on the beach? Have you ever worn your birthday suit on the beach?

And lastly – if you happen to see a photograph of a pissed-off, topless Canadian on a Sardinian beach – it’s me. Let the author know you are none too pleased with their violation of privacy!

102 thoughts on “The naked truth on nude beaches in Sardinia, Italy”

If you go topless at the beach, men will look/ogle, that’s just biology and human nature. Nudity is sexual to most people, it’s just that European women tend to be more open with expressing their sexuality and like to subathe topless. Doesn’t mean they want to have sex, just want to look beautiful and be admired. The Italians have turned people-watching into an artform. See and be seen.

Italian men look at boobs on the beach all the time, I’ve seen them do it many times and if in a group they will comment among themselves. They ogle with panache. There are many topless women so they don’t have to focus on just one pair to admire.

Thank you for your thought-provoking comment, I am aware that it is perfectly legal to take pictures of people on the beach. Let me ask you this – if you and your wife, daughter, sister or mother were on the beach, and a group of young boys sat down not 5 feet from you, then one of those boys started to take direct photos of your wife, daughter, sister or mother who are sunbathing topless, because you are in Italy – you wouldn’t have a problem with it? I’m sure your female counterparts would. It’s an invasion of privacy and respect of boundaries, even on a topless beach. I’ve lived in Italy for 10 years now and have never seen an Italian man ogle with panache at women who are sunbathing topless. Italian men have much more respect for women than that.

Italian men love breasts just like American men, maybe even more so. Breasts are commercialized and used in advertising here, on TV shows and commercials. Sex sells.

I never implied Italian men they have their mouths open and tongues out like cartoon characters, just that they are always checking out women and their tits on the beach. I speak fluent Italian and if I’m within earshot I can hear them saying things like “nice pair.”

Italian men are suave but unapologetic in their admiration. They enjoy being men, women enjoy being admired for their beauty. People watching is big in Italy. Italian men respect women, there’s nothing disrespectful of admiring a woman’s body.

People also take pictures on the beach all the time, I don’t presume to control what people do. So they get a picture of my fiancé, big deal, hundreds of people on the beach are seeing her body. The young man should have been more tactful snapping a photo of you.

Italian men do stare, but they respect woman, checking out women and lusting for them is not disrespectful, it’s called being a heterosexual man. Men here can be very flirtatious and persistent sometimes very pushy. I remember when the Pink Beach opened, a woman’s only beach:http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3340400

I like your blog but I am in agreement with John smith. I am his fiancé and I was born here. He has lived here for 6 years. Italian guys are always looking at girls, it is in the nature of a man and acceptable. They do not need to take pictures really because they can just see nice tette at the beach and enjoy the view.

If some guy took fotos of me I would not pull the rope and go overboard in anger just laugh it off.

Blimey!!! I am going to Sardinia this summer and I had not realised before I booked my trip that this might not be a topless friendly trip.
Could Italians be as relaxed as their latin counterparts – in Portugal and in many many many parts of Spain no one cares if you are topless and there are a few “official” nude beaches. Also, if you look for small coves, you’ll find many other spots where most people will be wearing their birthing suit.
Unless you find yourself in a crowded, family orientated beach, going naked is not considered offensive and people will not really even look at you.More often than not, if you get naked, other people who arrive start by going topless and others will join you in you nudist approach to tanning.
I guess I’ll be asking my children to collect some shells to cover my nipples…that’s as far as I am willing to cover my otherwise topless body.

I have a very different question for you. We are from the US and are not comfortable with nude OR topless beaches. Are there any beaches there that require clothing? Any beaches we should avoid? I’m not looking for a sermon of why I need to embrace naturalism and I am not preaching to you. Just directing us and respecting our feeling to avoid this would be appreciated.

Any beach that is a nude beach will be posted as such. Most nude beaches in Sardinia are hidden away, little coves or islets. However, if you are not comfortable with topless, then maybe Italy should not be your destination. I wish you a happy vacation.

Honestly topless in Italy is not how it used to be because not many ladies do it anymore. France is even less! Do not worry Topless is mostly in quiet beaches away from town centres. Nude beaches have signs and nudists are strange to us and keep among themselves. Most Italians do not go nude because that is not our way. Do not let anyone say to you Italy is not for you!

I am in agreement with you that Italy is not how it used to be regarding going topless on the beach. When I first arrived here 10 years ago there were more women going topless. I have seen that change drastically in the last ten years, maybe because cellphones with a camera are such commonplace, and there are still people who think it’s okay to photograph a woman topless.

Whether it’s legal or not to photograph people on a public beach is not the issue. The issue is respect. If the guy had snapped my photo, was 20 feet away from me, I probably would have never noticed nor cared. The fact that he was less than five feet from me, put his camera behind his back, while he was looking at the ocean, then snapped my photo is sneaky, rude and disrespectful.

It’s all guys, let’s not generalize one nationality. Actually, it’s all people, people look at people, we silently judge, we think how beautiful or how ugly, mostly we keep these thoughts to ourselves while others go the mile to sneak a photo for their own personal gain and enjoyment. It reminds me of a peeping Tom, and peeping Tom’s are creepy.

It’s not okay, but these are just my opinions. I can appreciate beauty, male or female, it doesn’t matter, but I certainly would never slyly photograph them for my own personal gain. I have too much respect for their private space.

Howdy, I’m a photographer and extremely reluctant to take a shot of someone, naked or not, without asking before. Now to your strange question about nude beaches in Sardinia: before June, the density of visitors is low so that almost every beach can provide spots where you can sun bathe peacefully. It does not need to be a well known spot like Cala Luna or the 2 km long sand beach and the pines near Orosei. It can be anywhere in between.

Provided you accept to walk more than 10-20 minutes (ten to twenty !) from any road you will be alone. There are bugs, however. Be nude (and stay alone !) on Cala Mariolou – which requires a 1h45 minutes walk to be reached from the upper plateau behind Baunei- appears to be difficult. At first, you will enjoy the great landscape and find a peaceful spot. Soon, however, motor boats will land and bring dozens of silly tourists no even capable to walk on sand … and your peace is gone. But no panic: get dressed, walk along the beach as if you would hike back and climb the first stairs in place to reach the path just above the cliffs. Then, instead of walking-up to the plateau (takes 1h50-2H) walk down on the other side (towards Arbatax) to another small beach where you can enjoy another hour of sun, alone. A few boats on anchor will not bother you. So be careful, too remote but famous beaches are easily reached by boat !!!

Incidentally, why are you looking for explicit and official nude beaches ? when they exist and are labelled as such they tend to attract too many people, including those who take shots without asking before. Not exactly my taste.

So interesting – I am Australian who lives by the beach – I swim most of the year. I have swum naked, but only by moonlight. By day – I cover up – this summer i bought a swimsuit that covers my arms down to my wrists and has little shorts – the sun kills! I’d never sunbath topless – frankly I would never sunbath full stop… but I think we have a higher rate of skin cancer in Australia. Anyway this summer you will probably see me – I won;t be the lady giving the finger – I will be the lady with the puritan looking swimsuit who keeps the before 10am and after 3pm beach time hours! and no – never show your boobs to the sunlight!

As a semi professional photographer I am greatly looking forward to photographing a number of the beaches from the research I have done it looks like there are some amazing beaches which with the Torre’s in the backdrop will look absolutely fantastic.

I will therefore be wandering the beaches taking various photos at different times of the day.

Whilst many of the photos I will take will likely be at Sunrise or Sunset there will be times I want “subjects” in the photographs to offer perspective.

If I take a photo of the beach and 20 people are in that photo should I be expected to approach all 20 people and ask permission?

Certainly here in the UK it is perfectly legal to photograph people in public without asking permission and whilst its illegal to invade someone’s privacy (e.g. photographing them in a location where they would expect privacy) if someone was topless in public it is perfectly legal to photograph them and I have taken photographs at events such as World Naked Bike Ride which were ultimately used in the media.

In terms of being topless on a beach, it is a public place and as such one cannot expect privacy and one cannot prevent photographs being taken as you have chosen to expose yourself in a public place.

Certainly upon visiting Sardinia this summer if I happen to spot a great view whilst on a beach and there happens to be someone topless in that view I will not hesitate to take the photo.

I will admit I have seen men taking photos solely of topless women (e.g. purposefully photographing just the topless woman – clearly zooming in on the breasts) and I would agree that to do so is “pervy” but unless the laws in Italy are fundamentally different to the rest of the world I don’t believe its illegal as the person is effectively choosing to expose themselves in public.

A truly valid point, and in this case, one can certainly request the deletion of the pervy photo, as it was so evidently taken in a pervy manner. Had the victim’s husband been with her instead of hiking the luscious landscape circumstances would have been different in two ways: 1. the pervy photo would have never been taken because the husband would have been beside her. 2. the pervy photo is taken and husband asks for the deletion of photo and the pervert complies. There’s so many suitable endings to this story choose which suits your morals best … shoulda, woulda, coulda.

I was on a clothes optional beach in Majorca this year. I would say it was probably 50-50 between those who were fully naked and those who covered up.
The beach was secluded and fairly sparsely populated with everyone having their own space and no-one trying to get too close for comfort. Whether clothed or unclothed, people were respectful of each other. There was no ogling and certainly no one taking photographs of strangers. People were friendly and polite when walking along the beach or meeting at the sea front. It was a very relaxing environment with beautiful scenery allowing you to have one of those rare opportunities where you could fully unwind.
You describe bathing nude as awesome – it can be in the right circumstances but where you have predators and perverts such as you describe then it is just not worth it.

Was just talking about this the other day…I recently noticed the same thing! I’ll admit when I first moved here over 8 years ago I followed the herd and went topless…mainly because 90% of the women were doing it! Now, fast forward 8 years, it would be unheard of for me! Maybe since I’ve had kids, or maybe because I would feel awkward because so few women do it these days. Having said that I also think a huge reason is because it is so easy to photograph people these days!! Who wants their (half-naked) on the Internet???!!

I happened across a nude beach in Sardinia this summer where there were around 20-30 people, there were no signs claiming it to be a ‘legal’ nude beach, however there were signs as you entered the beach warning in all languages that the beach is used for ‘Heliotherapy’. Not knowing what this was and google being my very close friend, I soon discovered that this is a type of light therapy using the sun and sea to heal skin conditions – I wondered if this was their way of getting around it not being a ‘legal’ nude beach ? “Im naked officer on the beach to help cure my eczema” 🙂 It looked a popular beach.

That’s awful! That guy should not have taken your picture. I’ve never gone topless, but this was one reason I never did. I was afraid someone would take pictures of me and I would just feel too violated.

Hi Jennifer, Thanks for your blog. I really enjoyed reading it but I can’t help feeling slightly set upon as a fellow Brit. We are certainly not all beach-grabbing, rude, disrespectful and violating visitors to the island and feel slightly bruised that my fellow countrymen/women would act in this way and that you would (unintentionally perhaps) discriminate and cast us all in this light.

My family and i visit the island every year, we have since 2006 – we have a little house on the west coast that we have spent our all our hard earnings, blood, toil, tears and sweat renovating from a broken shell of a non-dwelling.

I suppose I would like to say that, in our experience, we have found all visiting tourists from every nationality on the whole to be very pleasant and respectful of their fellow travellers and hosts. The calm and tranquillity of the island and its indigenous population tend to have a lethargic, soothing and so positive effect on the thousands that descend on the island every year and I must say that we have rarely encountered such anti-social behaviour – the sort of which you would instead expect to occur on the party islands.

I feel that you have every right to feel violated, their behaviour was unacceptable but please don’t tar the rest of us with that brush.

Well, you don’t find many nudes on the beaches in Sardinia, but here and there the pop up: one year I was in Cala Luna beach and several bathers were totally nude; the funny thing is that no body thought anything about it as if they were part of the landscape. So was the non reaction on the beach in Tanca Manna where a gorgeous girl laid nude with beach goers coming and going and not giving her the time of day….I love the beaches in Sardinia!!!!!

The best response to these camera thugs? Take out your own camera and pretend you’re shooting photos of them perving or, better yet, entire videos. Trust me, they will stop. Just pointing a camera toward them will do the trick. They will finally understand.

Jennifer, I know it has been a while since you started this thread, but I have to comment. I live in New South Wales, Australia and child protection laws and social attitudes have created a situation where it is now illegal or highly unethical to photograph minors at school events, sporting events or just about anywhere and under any circumstances, even your own children because of the possibility of capturing others without parental consent. In fact, I wasn’t allowed to even photograph or video my own children’s sacraments and the church didn’t provide an official photographer. Likewise, I have no photos of my girls playing netball and no photos of them at all in natural, unplanned and non-posed situations. The reasons I mention this is because firstly, we may not and should not always have the right to photograph someone in public, particularly without their consent and secondly, because I feel that society has become excessively uneasy with the internet, the lack of privacy afforded to us by social media and the subsequent exploitation of that media. Therefore, I understand why you would/should feel violated when a individual takes a photo of you in public, especially when that photo can make its way around the globe in seconds and you can’t control its destiny.

Also, I lived in Italy for about 12 years, so I know what attitudes can be like. Whilst I was there I met a lovely married Sicilian woman that confessed to going topless in complete anonymity in Spain, when on vacation with her husband, but not back home where presumably the two of them would have to face their family and friends. It didn’t matter to her that complete strangers could see her private parts and similarly, many people I have met over the years, whom wouldn’t usually consider exposing a foot, have even gone nude under controlled circumstances and I think that many more would like to do so just for the thrill and fun of it (particularly outside of one’s comfort zone like on a crowded beach), but don’t because ultimately they do not want to exhibit themselves beyond the moment. And idiots taking photos certainly spoils the plot!

Thank you kindly for your great comment! You’re correct in saying that idiots spoil the plot when one is out au natural. It’s all about respect, I mean this guy was a mere 6ft in front of me and obvious. Oh well.
I think society has come too far in the fact we can’t photo our children while playing sports – but I do understand the need. There are too many predators out there today.

Well.. somehow I stumbled on this post you made back in October and I have to say what a great article. Well done! I can only imagine how you felt when that inconsiderate jerk tried to snap your picture. A total invasion of your space. I never realized you were a Canadian! I’m from Ontario. Now as a fellow Canadian I have to admit we tend to be a bit timid when it comes to exposing our goods to the world. My first experience with the topless beach was when we visited Spain and Greece (and the camera lens cap was tightly affixed to the lens). My wife didn’t do as the locals but I think she may have been curious and maybe if the kids were not with us…… We also stumbled upon a nude beach in Maui once, Little Beach, it was called. I have to admit that was a different experience and very interesting to say the least. Anyway…. once again great entry on this one.

If you are in public, then you have no expectation of privacy. That’s the difference between public and private. Your privacy cannot be invaded when you’re in public. You’re in public.
And generally speaking, when you are in public, you can be photographed, dressed or undressed. Very few conditions under which that is not so. In fact, if you are in public, you probably are being photographed all the time, by security cameras if nothing else. That’s OK. You’re in public. If you can be seen, you can be photographed. The only way photography can be considered wrong is if you assume that there’s something wrong with the nudity/toplessness in the first place.

Of course, there are ways of being rude in public. Smoking, farting, name-calling. All sorts of things. And there are ways of photographing people that are rude. Just the fact of your undress is not enough on its own to make photographing you rude.

There’s nothing wrong with being nude; there’s nothing wrong with being photographed nude. You’re under no compulsion to be nude. That’s something you choose. And you chose to do it in public. Fine. Just don’t whinge if someone takes your picture. In your house or in your back yard, sure. Now you’re privacy is being invaded. Otherwise, no.

All this talk about “pervs” is odd, too. A heterosexual male who finds females attractive is perverted? Really? Someone should tell my dad. Why, I apparently shouldn’t even be here. Guys like lookiing at girls. It’s true. You may have noticed this yourselves.

Thank you for the definition between public and private spaces without your explanation I would have been lost forever. Just like this perv has the right to snap a photo of a topless woman on the beach, I too have to right to whinge about it – I’m sure you’ve heard about freedom of speech? The perv chose to take a photo and I chose to air my dirty laundry. You see – life is a matter of choice, for everyone.

Jennifer, the notion of privacy being invaded had come up several times in this exchange. Seemed to me it needed to be countered with some logic, that’s all. If you are in public, you can be seen. Is everyone who looks at you a perv? Or just the ones with cameras?

I don’t think anyone contests your right to whinge. It’s just that in certain circumstances, whinging seems vaguely absurd. If you are topless in public and even remotely attractive, then people will look at you. Even if you’re not topless, for that matter! Categorizing people who look at you in public when you’re undressed as “pervs” just means that if you’re undressed in public, you will always be angry.

I was glad to see that you, too, acknowledge the right of the so-called perv to take pictures of topless women. That right was being contested on this exchange as well. Good to have cleared that one up. Though I must say that I’d feel a lot better about the conversation if we could get it to the point where the anger and the indignance and the not at all veiled threats would vanish. Assaulting photographers and throwing cameras into the water are both unmistakably illegal acts. Taking pictures is not.

Besides, does anyone know how hard it is to tell what a photographer is photographing? Especially if the zoom is being used. The tiniest alteration and you’re looking at a completely different scene. You know this, right? I’m a photographer myself, and have amused myself trying to guess what people are taking pictures of. Even if I’m standing right behind them, it’s hard for me to tell. The only way to make sure is to look at the image they just captured. And looking at someone else’s images without their permission is illegal. Even the police are forbidden to do that.

I’m sorry but anyone that slyly snaps a photo of a topless woman is a pervert and I hope to god your sister, mother, aunt or daughter never have witness not be part of such a thing.

And if you’d read my article though, you would have read, how obvious this photographer was being in his sneaky, pervy ways.

I’m sorry, yet again, but I thought it was you that firstly contested my right to whinge. Did you not tell me not to whinge about it in your first comment?

It’s really odd that you seem to think I’m angry about this perverted act; when in fact I am not – it would have to be a BIG grudge that I’ve carried with me for the last four years! It’s not like this happened yesterday. It’s a true story, it happened and the basis of this article was not on him taking my photo – it was to state this the beach is not a nudist beach and I just had a little story to tell along the way. Sorry you got so lost.

PS. You’re a photographer so why don’t you come to Italy and stand six-feet in front of a topless woman on the beach and snap her photo. Let’s just see who’s side the police will take. It won’t be yours my friend. Maybe things are different in the grand ole USA but in Italy I’m sure the cop would throw your camera in the water then cuff you.

In some ways I’m surprised by this… it always intrigued me that in parks in Germany you could just as easily see the prim couple arm in arm clad in suit jacket and scarf contrast with naked sunbathers or water frolickers within feet of the same walkway…

There are a litany of nude beaches here in the bay area and while I have not gone in the buff this time around I certainly have in the past. (when I was a svelte 190 lbs) I think Sardinia should lighten up a bit and at least designate a few areas for naturists around the world.

People do go nude here, heck – to be honest so have I. But we’ve been on a secluded beach in April! Not a tourist in sight and I know the consequences if we got caught. It’s not something I’m keen on – if it were legal that would be a different story. 😉

Hmmm.
No real comment on the whole issue of privacy, but this blog just got me thinking…
I wonder when humans started to feel self-consious about thier naughty-bits. At some point in our history we evolved from a pre-historic, more primitive species (assuming you believe in evolution), and I find it hard to believe we have always covered ourselves.
At what point did we feel humility/shame?
The only shame is that some DO feel shame.
Though I admit that I wouldn’t be comfortable walking around nude at work, it is what modern humans have evolved to do. Wear clothes to cover stuff….aside from just covering-up from the elements.
Just a thought. -David.

In my 5 years going to/living in Sardegna i have seen very few (as in count on one hand) topless girls. One was the daughter of my friend, a veterinarian from Bologna-anyway, my take is that IF I WERE STILL 26 years old, i MIGHT go topless just for the tan on my boobs…but at this point I will do beach lovers a favor and keep em covered up! I am not interested in seeing anybody’s private parts on any beach!

Great article and I agree with you Jennifer whole-heartedly. To say, “well you bared your boobs so you deserve it” is ignorant and honestly pretty rude to say. People go to nude beaches so that they can relax in the nude without fear of being mocked (or so they think apparently). It is an invasion of privacy to just snap someone else naked, come on! can you really say it’s NOT?!

Just because you “can” do something.. doesn’t mean you “should”. I can quite easily punch someone in the face because they are rude to me and I think they ‘deserve’ it but I don’t, though sometimes I wish I could! Being respectful of a persons personal space should be common sense and I think the cops in Italy would side with you Jennifer. After all it’s your word against his! 😉

It is totally 100% purvy, lady! And yes, it should be reported. What if some strange guy was taking photos of young girls in their bathing suits on the beach? Is this acceptable behaviour? Is it the young girls’ fault as well? Sheesh…let’s all wear coats to the beach from now on, but let the creepy pervs do whatever they want!

‘Austin’ is correct in that you don’t really have any ‘right’ to complain when people are rude, inconsiderate, and downright offensive in their behavior. No right under law, that is. But as decent human beings and members of society we do have an obligation to treat each other with courtesy and respect if we wish others to do the same for us.
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Are you inviting this type if discourteous treatment when you disrobe at a beach where it is to be expected? Does the mere fact of your presence there indicate a willingness to be abused? Does the fact of a woman walking down a street invite rape?
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Austin’s remarks are representative of those who would blame the victim while apologizing for the offender; so common nowadays. That’s especially easy to do when the victim is doing something of which they disapprove, such as ‘putting themselves on display’. We have to wonder if he/she would feel the same way if they were enjoying themselves (clothed) at a beach and someone decided to start a volleyball game right where they were sitting! Hey, it’s a beach and folks play volleyball on beaches! You deserve to be disturbed! You asked for it!
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We see this attitude throughout society today as the perpetually offended take out their personal angst against anyone they can, especially those out to enjoy themselves. They can’t stand to see happiness in others when it’s out of their own grasp.
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Sadly, the behavior you encountered, and much worse, is becoming endemic at beaches worldwide, especially at topless/nude beaches. There are those who equate nudity with sex and see bare skin as an invitation to engage in sexual acts in public. These people are not part of the social nudist community but inevitably are referred to as such by the media, causing no end of problems for naturists everywhere.
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Our nudist/naturist philosophy is quite simple and serves as an example for society in general, though it’s rare to see it in practice in Textile society:
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“Naturism is a way of life in harmony with nature, expressed through social nudity, linked to self-respect, tolerance of differing views together with respect for the environment”. – International Naturist Foundation

Thank you for your great comment but I disagree with you in one major area – I certainly do have the ‘right’ to complain and raise my concern should someone snap a sneaky photo of me or anyone on a topless beach. It’s morally disrespectful. This is my issue – it was sneaky, I caught him in the act.

I certainly did not ask for this type of behaviour – I was on a designated topless beach – not on a beach where clothing it a must.

It’s a simple easy, moral line which people should not cross – but they do and I have every right in this world to talk or complain about the rude, ignorant behaviour of others. Free speech.

Jennifer – A small misunderstanding here; we referred to the presumed “‘right’ to complain when people are rude, inconsiderate, and downright offensive in their behavior” , and were not speaking to specific legal rights involving illegal actions. There was no prior mention by either of you about photo-taking being illegal, just improper behavior and ‘unspoken rules’. Austin was making the case that by exposing yourself you opened yourself up to it and shouldn’t complain when it happens. We reluctantly agreed, technically. Stand out and expect to be noticed. That doesn’t excuse bad behavior on the part of others, of course.

It was inaccurate to say that you don’t have the ‘right’ to complain. You do, just as they have the ‘right’ to be offensive within the law. But you don’t have a ‘right’ to do anything about it other than by being offensive (legally) in return or reporting them to the police. Your being offended is not the problem of he who is offending you if he breaks no laws. It’s your responsibility to deal with it within yourself just as it’s his problem to deal with it if he’s offended by your nudity.

‘Rights’ are derived from law and lacking a legal basis, claiming a right is meaningless. If everyone would worry less about perceived ‘rights’ and more about how to be respectful and courteous, we wouldn’t need laws in the first place. That’s why naturism works: we understand that!

Our question would be, what does this type of creep think of himself when his biggest kick is hassling strangers just trying to relax? Think of the ugly minds these poor men have to live with, day in and day out for the rest of their lives! No wonder they have few friends and can’t get a woman to get near to them. So sad.

Nothing’s free, and naturists have been paying the price for their lifestyle for a long time now. Rudeness and harassment are no strangers to social nudism, and learning how to deal with them is just part of the price. Weekend sun-tanners are sometimes surprised by how shabbily they’re treated by these cretins; we see this stuff all the time!

Oh, and that advice about keeping your response to rudeness within the law? You didn’t hear it here but, cameras do NOT float, and it’s hard to find a witness at a nude beach… 😉

First and foremost this beach that I am referring to is NOT a nude beach. It’s a topless beach Italian beach like most in this country, but nudity is illegal on this beach. There are high fines for those going in the buff on a beach in Sardinia.

My point – my point is that this guy was a mere 6 feet in front of me and slyly snapped a photo. If he was taking a photo of the scenery and I happened to be in it at a distance, no problem. But to obviously snap a photo with the hopes of NOT getting caught, then getting caught is a little much.

Sure I understand if I decide to go topless I’m attracting this type of behaviour. So, if a dolt is willing to snap a photo of me only 6 feet way he is too attracting a ‘type’ of behaviour. I’m well versed on the fact that cameras do NOT float – but this is Italy my friend and I can assure you that should his camera go for a swim that the authorities would side with me – the woman – not the perverted dolt.

As for finding a witness on a nude beach? I have no clue – I’ve NEVER in my life been to a nude beach.

And lastly – should I ever find myself on a nude beach and happen to find you, may I stand six feet in front of you and take your photo without objection? I mean you are ‘asking’ for it, no?

“(b) A person is liable for constructive invasion of privacy when
the defendant attempts to capture, in a manner that is offensive to a
reasonable person, any type of visual image, sound recording, or
other physical impression of the plaintiff engaging in a personal or
familial activity under circumstances in which the plaintiff had a
reasonable expectation of privacy, through the use of a visual or
auditory enhancing device, regardless of whether there is a physical
trespass, if this image, sound recording, or other physical
impression could not have been achieved without a trespass unless the
visual or auditory enhancing device was used.”

This is a huge pet peeve of mine! You really shouldn’t take photos of people without their permission, on the beach or anywhere else. Its an invasion of privacy. People have the right to peacefully enjoy themsleves, that’s that.

As far as topless beaches, I’m always surprised that more women don’t go topless in Italy. In Spain, its boobs out full force, young ladies, old ladies – it doesn’t matter. Topless is normal on all Spanish beaches and its great. But, we were in Sardinia this year, I was surprised that there weren’t many women going topless, really because I really have just gotten used to it myself. I felt odd laying out with my girls covered! 🙂 And those damn tan lines are still there!!

Thank you for your great comment. 5 years ago the Sardinian beaches were full of topless women. I think this has changed because of purvy photographers or tourists. It is a HUGE invasion of privacy and we should all be able to enjoy the beach peacefully without annoyances of a camera.

We actually went twice this year. Our first visit was in May, and we traveled around a bit to Chia, Pula and up to Iglesia. We loved it so much, that we decided to go back in July. We spent a week in Villasimius – complete and total heaven! I’m in total obsession love with Sardinia and the Sardos. It really is just so beautiful.

Back to the photo taking issue. I think that’s just so bizarre that people are taking photos of people on the beach. I mean, surely it has to happen once in a while, but I’ve been in Spain for 7 years and I’ve never, ever seen that. Although, it’s probably that I’m just not paying attention.

Sardinia is really a beautiful wonder. I have yet to see the places you visited this year!

About taking photos – This has happened to me once, and only once. And it was obvious – gosh, he was only six feet in front of me!! If people are taking photos of the sea, sand or people playing volleyball – on a topless beach – hey ok, no problems. But to snap a photo on the sly in hopes of not getting caught (but he did) is just – well, rather purvy to me. That’s just my opinion.

If you didnt want to be viewed, then you should have kept your goodies covered. Whats in public can be both publically ogled or taken pictures of as fair rights. Had you taken my camera and thrown it in the water you would find a ride in the police care exciting. You have no right to complain when you display yourself like that. You have to know having a husband that men are visual.

I’m sorry Austin but I disagree with you. There are some unwritten rules and etiquette one should follow regarding a topless or nude beach. I am not an animal on display for hungry tourists to snap photos of. Obviously you are one without morals and find it in your right to photograph topless women on the beach. As far as rights go – women do not go to these beaches to be ogled by men and photographed for pleasures sake – if you had any type of respect in your soul you would see that. And lastly – if you had photographed me, topless on the beach and I threw your camera in the water – ask yourself “Who’s side would the police seriously be on?” The topless woman’s side – or the perverted photographer? Enjoy the car ride.

“publically ogled” – please! I would think only perverted people would actually ‘ogle’ someone while they are minding their own business – I know when I have been ‘publically ogled” I have confronted the ‘ogler’ – who has the right to judge – certainly not you Austin.

Jennifer, I could not agree with you more. It is called respect! In my opinion everyone deserves a little respect. Until they prove that they don’t deserve it. I would not intentionally take a photo of another person on a beach weather clothed or not.

I do think that to equate morality with nudity or no-nudity is supremely silly. We are conditioned into thinking of our private parts as private. I am not a fanatical nudist, but I do believe the most pleasant way to go swimming is wearing nothing. It is all a matter of what one is used to. There is a hot spring where we used to go camping here, and there was an unwritten convention that nobody wore anything in the water at that spot. It was amazing how quickly one adapted to treating it as completely natural – in both senses!

They have twisted morals, indeed, by today’s standards. And, simply no decent manners. However, if nudity were the norm you wouldn’t be bothered by it in the least, so you are showing the conditioned reflex that all of us have been taught.

I used to go topless when I lived in Barcelona but since then, I haven’t been anywhere where a lot of women (if any) go topless. If I were to go back to Barcelona now, I think I’d prefer to stay covered.

Between you and your commenters I can’t decide if your boring conservatism is the problem or your vanity about your aging body is the real issue that provokes this blatantly irrelevant outrage at some rando perv snapping you.

So many issues with surveillance and privacy in this world but leave it to silly prudes to fixate on “some guy took a pic of my boobies, THAT’S crossing the line”.

We so rarely hear from Canadians because nobody cares what they think. But your typically Canadian blog post sure enlightens readers as to how that country manages to be proud of itself for electing reactionary dopes like Trudeau and the Ford brothers.

For someone who has lived in Italy for so many years, you have held on to your small town Canadian mindset admirably.

I’ve gone topless at beaches several times and skinny dipping in Provincetown–on Cape Cod. But the skinny dipping was when no one was around and involved stripping off my suit at water’s edge and putting it back on immediately after emerging from the sea. I was young. What can I say?
Hugs,
Kathy

Times have changed; what used to be a pleasurable naked dip in the sea has turned in to something rather perverse. Our world has changed into an internet, fast society and with just the click of a button our girly bits could be splashed all over the internet. I don’t like these predator type people who walk these beaches.

It happened to my girl when she was having fun with her friends in Wasaga.. an older ‘gentleman’ kept a camera low in front of him and was taking their pics. They caught him and complained about him and he was send off. Not that that will work.. plenty of opportunities right? Scary…